Her Strength
by music-and-fairytales
Summary: [EC] Just a small oneshot about Calleigh having a bad day.


_Hey everybody! Just a really quick oneshot for you. Came to me when I was upset at school. I was trying so hard not to cry and I had this mental image of myself collapsing and sobbing. I imagined this scene and I was wishing I had an Eric to be there for me. Lol. I know - I'm so pathetic. I hope you enjoy it!_

_Thanks to Jodie for being my amazing beta!_

_As usual, I don't own anything!_

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BANG! 

Calleigh dropped to the ground and flung her arms over her head.

BANG! BANG!

There were two more gunshots and she flinched as they went off.

The shots stopped but she remained where she was, too scared to move.

"Calleigh?" she heard Horatio yell. "Calleigh!"

He rushed over to her and she lifted her head up. "I'm ok, H. What happened to the daughter?"

Horatio looked with a pained expression at where blood was pooling around the little girl. Calleigh's face hardened.

"You go after him, I'll take care of the girl"

Horatio nodded and ran after the shooter. Calleigh scrambled to her feet and crawled over to the small girl, putting her head in her lap.

"Hey sweetie. Just hang in there ok?" Calleigh said softly, reassuringly.

The girl looked up at Calleigh with hope in her eyes and Calleigh smiled.

"Just keep talking to me, ok honey? What's your name?"

"Mia" the girl answered, and began to cough immediately. Calleigh stroked her hair in a reassuring way.

"Ok. Maybe talking isn't such a good idea, but Mia you hang in there, ok? The ambulance is gonna be here any minute."

Mia tried to nod but her eyes were slowly closing.

"Mia! Don't fall asleep, ok? Don't fall asleep. Stay awake! Stay with me!" Calleigh said desperately. The girl's head slumped and blood began to come out of her mouth.

She was dead.

At that moment, Calleigh became aware of the sirens getting closer and it was only another minute or so before the building was raided by police and paramedics alike.

They ran over to Calleigh and Mia but the paramedics couldn't do anything to save her. It was over.

The next thing Calleigh became aware of was a piercing scream from a woman who ran to the small girl, sobbing.

"Mia! Wake up! Mia! Oh baby please wake up!" the girl's mother cried. It was heartbreaking for Calleigh to watch and she suddenly felt like she was suffocating.

She had to get out of there.

She ran outside and bumped straight into Eric.

"Hey Cal! What happened?"

She simply shook her head and ran past him to her car. She got in and began driving herself home. However, when she arrived she realised she didn't know what to do. She ran inside, not even bothering to lock the door behind her and then stopped in her living room and stared out the window. She tried so hard to comprehend what happened but she just couldn't figure out where it went wrong.

Then the tears came.

---E/C---

Eric arrived at Calleigh's apartment building in time to see her running inside. He had wanted to make sure she was alright because when she left the scene she had looked so upset. He went quickly up to her apartment, wondering at how familiar the route was.

When he arrived at her apartment, the door was slightly ajar and this heightened his suspicions that she was definitely not ok. He gently pushed it open and walked inside, following a strange sound he could hear. He arrived in the living room to find that the strange sound was Calleigh's crying, muffled behind her hand.

He walked up behind her and caught her just as she collapsed into sobs. He was literally holding her up.

---E/C---

She may have been overcome by grief but she knew instantly when he had walked into the room. She knew he was the one holding her up while she sobbed.

"Come on Cal. It's alright. It's gonna be alright"

Calleigh looked down at the ground and realised that she was covered in blood. She stood up, horrified and turned to Eric.

"Eric, look! Her blood! It's all over me! Oh my God! Get it off!"

She began frantically tearing at her clothes, trying to get them off. She felt like the blood was burning into her and she just wanted to get away from it. She tore off her top and pants and threw them on the ground.

---E/C---

Eric saw her tearing at her clothing, filled with pity. He had always wondered what Calleigh looked like under her clothes but he knew that this was not the time to find out. She was vulnerable and he had no desire to take advantage of her. He just wanted to hold her and keep her safe.

---E/C---

One look into Eric's eyes, filled with compassion and sorrow and she was gone all over again.

She rushed forward and he caught her again as she cried into his chest. He held her up and slowly moved her over to the couch where they lay down and she cried for what felt like hours.

After a while, her sobs subsided and she simply lay, trembling, in Eric's arms. Their legs were tangled together, Eric was holding onto her tightly and though she was traumatized, she couldn't help but feel safe.

Eventually, she looked up at Eric and smiled, thanking him.

He shook his head slightly, telling her not to worry about it.

She loved how their communication was so non-verbal. They could say so much without saying a word.

This time though, she wanted to use words.

"Thanks so much for this Eric. I really needed it. You're the strength that holds me up and, sometimes, I think I take that for granted. Thank you for emotionally and literally holding me up"

He grinned and held her closer.

"No problem. I'll always be here."

She smiled and snuggled closer to him, enjoying the feeling of his warm hands rubbing her back.

Wait. Why could she feel that his hands were warm?

She looked down and almost shrieked out loud.

"Oh my gosh! I don't have any clothes on!" she jumped up, horrified at what she had done without even thinking. Eric began to laugh.

"Eric!" she said exasperatedly, before running into her bedroom and getting dressed.

Calleigh was blushing furiously when she emerged 5 minutes later and Eric laughed again.

She began to laugh with him and couldn't help but think: It was moments like before that made him her strength; and it was moments like these that made him her closest friend.

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_Awww! hahaha I hope you guys all liked that! I'd really appreciate reviews! xoxo_


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